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Poster Short Abstract

PlantAlert engages gardeners to report weedy ornamentals as early warnings of potential invasions. Through OneSTOP Living Labs across Europe, we co-create tools and data pipelines to integrate citizen observations into an early alert system for biodiversity management.

Poster Abstract

Gardens represent important yet often overlooked frontlines for biodiversity change. Many ornamental species that later become invasive are first cultivated in private or public gardens, making these spaces potential sentinels for early detection of emerging risks. Under the aegis of the OneSTOP project, we aim to upscale the successful UK-based citizen science initiative PlantAlert, which mobilizes gardeners to report ornamental plants that exhibit weedy or invasive tendencies.

In OneSTOP, PlantAlert will be expanded to four additional European countries, each hosting Living Labs that bring together stakeholders from the quadruple helix—citizens, researchers, policymakers, and businesses. These Living Labs will co-create and test the citizen science tools, ensuring that technological, social, and ecological dimensions are jointly addressed. By integrating PlantAlert data streams into OneSTOP’s early warning and rapid response system, we aim to establish gardens as a scalable, participatory detection method, complementing novel technologies such as computer vision and eDNA.

Citizen observations will feed into data pipelines (i.e., to GBIF) and contribute to automated alert systems that notify relevant stakeholders, such as local conservation managers, about emerging invasive species threats. This presentation will discuss how Living Labs can foster long-term participant engagement, support co-design of monitoring technologies, and strengthen the interface between citizen science and biodiversity management, demonstrating how public participation can play a vital role in safeguarding Europe’s ecosystems.